The Kinston Department of Public Safety has been working on ways to create more interaction and assist the residents of the city.

KDPS Director Bill Johnson said the department has teamed up with the Employment Security Commission, Lenoir Community College and the Lenoir County Health Department to assist citizens.

“Based on needs, we want to give options to people in the community,” Johnson said. “If someone is having an issue getting employed, we’ve got a program to assist them. We’re trying to help those trying to get GEDs, have substance abuse problems or other things if they need it. We give some of them alternatives and say ‘we know you’ve done X, Y and Z,’ however, you won’t be arrested. If they don’t want to avail themselves, we will issue arrest warrants.”

Johnson said KDPS is also working with Juvenile Justice and Teen Court to help steer children in the right direction.

“We’ve partnered with Lenoir County schools for juveniles, based on behavior issues and truancy,” Johnson said. “We want to intervene early and push them toward a positive path.”

The Gang Resistance Education and Training program, which KDPS started at Rochelle Middle School, is another way to assist the youth, according to Johnson.

“It’s important to balance enforcement with education,” he said. “We’ve implemented the GREAT program at Rochelle because we feel that’s an age group which feels a lot of peer pressure and gangs target at that age. We saw how effective it was and graduated over 200 students.

“We’re expanding it to Southeast Elementary, and now we’re looking to see if we can spread the program even further to other schools across the city.”

Johnson is hoping to initiate another program in the upcoming year.

“One of the things I want to do is work proactively with the schools around prom time and start a program dealing with underaged drinking,” Johnson said.

What's the impact?

The efforts of KDPS have made impact to some members of the community.

In a cross-city poll of 52 people conducted by The Free Press — with an equal representation of black and white Kinston residents — 54 percent said they trust KDPS, compared to 33 percent who do not and 13 percent who were unsure.

Jacob Best said he trusts the police force because of their workload and the ability to handle it.

“They have a very hard job, and I believe they do a good job at it,” he said.

Eddie Hall said he has had run-ins with the police in years past, but believes, for the most part, KDPS is doing the right thing.

"The police can be misinformed by people, and although there are some crooked police out there, most of them do their job right,” Hall said. “I trust them.”

Page 2 of 2 - Hall is African-American, but there are more who don’t agree with his opinion than do. Of the 26 African-Americans polled, 56 percent said they can’t trust the police, compared to 31 percent who do and 13 percent who were unsure.

Many of those who didn’t trust the police — who wished to be anonymous — said their biggest issues lied with slow reaction time in predominantly black neighborhoods and negative interactions with officers with them not being in the wrong.

Marie Board said there are some differences between the police force now and in years past.

“The Kinston police are not like they used to be,” Board said. “There used to be more of them who would help people, whereas now the police will talk to you any type of way. I try to stay away from them.”

Board also said there is more of an abundance of young officers, which provide more negativity.

“There were a lot of police back in the day in their 30s or 40s, but some of the younger officers are faster to lock you up or shoot you and don’t give people much of a chance. They treat some of the kids wrong, and they feel like they just aren’t trustworthy.”

KDPS Commander Tim Dilday said there have been some improvements over the past couple of years, but some of the misconceptions of police have come from preconceived opinions.

Making improvements

“Most people, in my opinion, look at us in our uniforms and think we’re just around to charge people and give tickets,” he said. “Still, if there’s a wreck, your child is in the car, and you’re incapacitated, we’re there to help.

“I pride myself in knowing members in the city. I spend time interacting with children and walking through the neighborhoods talking to people.”

Dilday also noted most circumstances residents talk to the police about, which are usually negative.

“Most of our interaction comes with good people at bad times,” he said. “Generally, when people call the police, situations are out of control and people need assistance.

Dilday hopes to have more citizens understand KDPS is trying to do the right thing.

“We want people to know they’ll be helping themselves, not us,” Dilday said. “We’re not bad guys. We’re trying to help the community. We have a vested interest in the city we live in, and without community involvement, our ability is almost nonexistent.”

Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.